Travel Guide to Royal Family Residencies

Have you ever wondered what sort of places the royal family actually live in? Well, here are the first and foremost places where the Queen spends her time.

First on the list must be the official royal offices at Buckingham Palace. This magnificent building was first built in 1703 as a private family home and became the official residence of all things royal in 1873 when Queen Victoria made it her official residence. Most famous for the 'changing of the guards' and the public viewing of royalty on the balcony for state occasions, this impressive building is any historians 'must see'.

The oldest of the royal residences is of course Windsor Castle where some of the turrets date back to William the Conqueror and are thought to be over 1000 years old. The soaring Gothic vaults of St George’s chapel are incredible and house the tombs of ten sovereigns including Henry VIII, whose ghost is said still walks the corridors at night.

Privately owned royal residences include Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. This is the place where the royal family spend their summer vacations, inviting personal friends to join them in traditional shooting and fishing activities. Balmoral is a working estate where many of the local families have been employed for generations.

Another privately owned royal residence is Sandringham House in Norfolk. This incredible Jacobethan style country house is the private home of Queen Elizabeth 1 and has been a royal household for several generations. It was from Sandringham House that the Queen gave her first televised Christmas message in 1957.

Clarence House in London is one of the last remaining aristocratic town houses and is the traditional home for the Prince of Wales. Situated in The Mall, Westminster, Clarence House is attached to St. James’s Palace and shares the Royal Gardens.

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